That individuals who regularly consume sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda, colas and other carbonated beverages, and non-carbonated fruit drinks such as lemonade and fruit punch, may be at an higher risk of lifestyle diseases was a known and proven fact.
However, a new study, the findings of which were published in the Journal of Nutrition have revealed that such individuals are also at a risk of contracting prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar is high, but not high enough to be Type 2 diabetes and if diagnosed early, is reversible through lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise. "Our results suggest that high sugar-sweetened beverage intake increases the chances of developing early warning signs for Type 2 diabetes," said Nicola McKeown, Associate Professor at the Tufts University, Massachusetts in the US, "If lifestyle changes are not made, individuals with prediabetes are on the trajectory to developing diabetes."
The findings showed that adults who drink a can of soda per day are at 46% higher risk of developing prediabetes. Further, the highest consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages had nearly 8% higher insulin resistance scores, compared to low- or non-consumers.
Not consuming as much soda? Here are some other sugary drinks that are almost as bad for your health.
Canned juices Sweetened iced tea Energy drinks
You'd think juice would be healthy”it's made from fruit, after all. Problem is, while fruit is rich in fiber, juice is not. So even if you opt for 100% fruit juice and avoid drinks with added sugar, they're still high in the sweet stuff.
Tea is no doubt a good choice; it's full of disease-busting antioxidants. But syrupy-sweet iced teas contain a wallop of the white stuff, practically canceling out the health benefits. One popular brand has over 30 grams of added sugar in one bottle. That's more like dessert.
Even though they usually don't contain a ton of calories, an 8-ounce serving can run you more than 25 grams of sugar”and no, they aren't healthy just because they're fortified with B vitamins. So skip these entirely”and not just to save on sugar. Drinking just one energy drink raised healthy people's blood pressure and norepinephrine (a stress hormone) levels. That's definitely not good for your heart. If you need a boost of caffeine, opt for a cup of coffee instead.
Sweetened yogurt Tonic water You're probably sipping this as part of an alcoholic drink, not on its own. But if you're doing it because you think a "gin and tonic" is healthier than a "rum and coke," you're out of luck. Twelve ounces of tonic water adds 124 calories and 32 grams of sugar to your glass (that's 8 teaspoons). Compare that to a cola, which isn't too far off at 182 calories and 44 grams of sugar per 12 ounces.
Probiotics is such a hot buzzword right now because, as research shows, the beneficial bacteria help keep your gut healthy. So you may be trying to get more in your diet. And while probiotic yogurt is a healthy choice, the flavored versions rely on sugar to decrease yogurt's traditional tang.
Sports drinks
Finish a bottle of one typical sports drink, and you'll have downed more than 50 grams of sugar. No surprise, considering sugar is listed as the second ingredient after water on the label. If you're training for a marathon, that makes sense; the sugar supplies carbs that help keep up your energy during the tough workout. Sitting at your desk all day? You don't need the extra sugar and calories.
nless you are seriously training for a marathon or triathlon, you do not need to consume sports drinks. Hydrate with water only.
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Nutritionally, people don’t need any sugar in their diet. WHO recommends that if people do consume free sugars, they keep their intake below 10% of their total energy needs, and reduce it to less than 5% for additional health benefits. This is equivalent to less than a single serving (at least 250 ml) of commonly consumed sugary drinks per day
“ Dr Francesco Branca, Director, WHO’s Department of Nutrition for Health and Development.
